Well, well well...
This was a fun year. Almost 90 books read and at least 21000 pages which gives us roughly 57 pages per day. Since my main objective is at least 50 (but preferebly 80) I think it was good. Better than last year or the year before.
1) What genre did I read?
- Horror. This was the year of Horror. Of the 86 books 30 were of horror (or with horror elements).
- Sci-fi Ur by Stephen King, The City and the Stars by Artur C Clarke, the Heaven Makers by Frank Herbert, X the Unknow by Shaun Huston
- Classics Besides the Rime of the Ancient Mariner I didn't read any books prior of 1900's. I read a couple short stories (including Wendigo) and other bunch fom the fifties but that's it.
- Fantasy I didn't read much fantasy which it's a shame. The Weigh of Blood by David Dalglish was one of my favourite books this year.
- Dr Who 9 books read/listened. Most of them pretty average.
- Black Library Not that I am sick of Black Library books but I guess I should take a break and read a larger variety of books. My objective was to read one per month... And I read 12. So mission accomplished.
- Agatha Christie My objective is to finish reading the Poirot's novels. These year I read 7 books and I am reading one now. So 8 books. Not bad.
Apocalpytic Fiction, Zombie Horror and Thrillers are always a sure pick for me and most books I read are in those three genres.
2) So... What were my favourite picks?
- My favourite book of the year... well that's hard but If I had to choose one I would choose Stephen King - NightShift. Because it has some horrific tales that I really enjoyed and it's the more versatible of the lot.
But there are other books that I would advise to anyone.
From Horror you've got Rats by James Herbert, Dark Gods - TED Klein, in Fantasy Weight of Blood by David Daglish, from Zombies you've got Zombies and Shit by Carlton Mellick III and from Black Library Flesh of Cretacia by Andy Smillie and Yarrick by David Annandale
But there are others that for me were a treat like Books of Blood by Clive Barker, Skull Full of Kisses by Michael West, Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux, The Uninvited by Liz Jensen and Fading Light a quite good anthology to meet several new writers.
3) Worst books - Or Dissapointing Reads
Black Library audiobooks... they are pure crap of money. A short story in audiobook that cost you €10 to €15. From this moment on I will not buy audiobooks. They suck and are over pricely.
The Mall of Cthulhu by Seamus Cooper, Shadowsun by Branden Campbell, Cthulhu's Reign (Anthology), Meg by Steve Alten, Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly, several doctor who stories.
4) Suprise reading
Suprising Stephen King in both ways. First I didn't expect to enjoy so much the anthology Night Shift and in the worst case again Stephen King with The Shinning. So much hype and to me...enfin..
5) Series began, continued and ended
Series began
Rats (#1 of 3) - I will read the next two this next year
The Weight of Blood (#1 of 6) - I will have to buy the rest of them.
Books of Blood (#1 of 6) - I will read the remaining next year
Outpost (#1 of 3) - Maybe
Zombie Series (#1 of 2 (So Far) Nope
Diablo (#1 of 7) Don't think so...
Hellgate (#1 of3) Nope
Ferno (# 1 of 82) I have 18... I will read them one per month...
Jake Ramson (#1 of 2 so far) Don't think I will read them...
Meg (#1 of 4) Nope
Jack West Jr (#1 of 3 so far) Don't know...
Series resumed
Vampire Hunter D: The Stuff of Dreams (#5 of 20 (So far) - Next year I will try to read at least 3 of them
Cap Kennedy (#3/4 of 15) I will read them at least three of four this next year)
Elfslayer (#10 of 16 (So Far) - Next year two of them will be read
Series Ended
Deep Sky (#3 of 3) - Excelent finish of the series...
I really want to delve deeper into mammoths books and series... Let us if my strenght don't fail me.
6) Objectives
More Black Library Books
More Masterworks (SF)
More Horror/Zombies/Apocalpytic Fiction
More Series/Trilogies (Fantasy)
Finish Poirot, Cap Kennedy, Ferno, Rats and Weight of Blood.
My Objective is to surpasse this year and reach 100 books or 23000 pages I've done it before so it's not impossible... With a wedding coming out probably I won't have as much time as before but... You've never known.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thoughts XXI : Books to buy next year...
This last year was a change for me in terms of purchasing books. I really made an effort to stop buying so many books... Next year will be better. I must gain some sense and think that spending €100 in books per month it's too much. I will try to reduce to around €50. This will give me a average of 5/6 books per month which it's quite good.
Hardbooks only and handful will be bought and from black library I will stop buying audiobooks (ebooks never bought and will never buy) and hardback special editions will also be cutted down to the minimium. Only if a book really interest me I will buy it... but for €50 a piece is too much... Well...
BOOKS TO BUY NEXT YEAR
This year will be rough. I will try to buy at most 60 books.
JANUARY
Wolf of Sigmar (Time of Legends) by C. L. Werner
Paul Kearney, A Different Kingdom - January 28
Promise of Blood - Brian Mc Clellan
MARCH
Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters by Christian Dunn (11 Mar 2014)
Stormcaller (Space Wolves) by Chris Wraight (18 Mar 2014)
Path of the Archon (Dark Eldar Path) by Andy Chambers (25 Mar 2014)
Last God Standing by Michael Boatman
Scars (Horus Heresy) by Chris Wraight (6 May 2014)
APRIL
The Talon of Horus by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Apr 2014)
Gotrek & Felix: The Serpent Queen by Josh Reynolds (8 Apr 2014)
Michael J. Sullivan, The Hollow World - April 8 (Just finished)
MAY
Emperor of Thorns - Mark Lawrence
Commissar (Imperial Guard) by Andy Hoare (20 May 2014)
The Greater Good (Ciaphas Cain) by Sandy Mitchell (8 May 2014)
Salamanders: Rebirth by Nick Kyme (22 May 2014)
Orion: The Council of Beasts by Darius Hinks (22 May 2014)
The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell (22 May 2014)
JULY
Guy Gavriel Kay - River of Stars
The Seal of the Worm - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Assail (Malazan Empire 6)
Half a King - Joe Abercrombie
Fiefdom: A Kingdom Novel
The Warmaster (Gaunt's Ghosts) by Dan Abnett (Jul 2014) (If it's paperback)
Master of Sanctity (Legacy of Caliban) by Gav Thorpe (8 Jul 2014)
AUGUST
Sons of Russ by Chris Wraight, Nick Kyme and Andy Smillie (5 Aug 2014)
The Doom of Dragonback (Time of Legends) by Gav Thorpe (19 Aug 2014)
SEPTEMBER
Vengeful Spirit (Horus Heresy) by Graham McNeill (2 Sep 2014)
Ahriman: Sorcerer by John French (9 Sep 2014)
Fall of Light: The Second Book in the Kharkanas Trilogy
OCTOBER
The Republic of Thieves (Gollancz) by Scott Lynch (9 Oct 2014)
The Last Dark (Gollancz S.F.) by Stephen Donaldson (1 Oct 2014)
DECEMBER
Willfull Child (working title) Steven Erikson
Black Library novels:
If it's paperback I will buy it... but besides that I am going to cut down.
When in paperback
Mentats of Dune - Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Working God's Mischief - Glen Cook
Cyador's Heirs by L. E., Jr. Modesitt
The Unholy Consult - R. Scott Bakker
Raising Steam
Monster Hunter Nemesis
The Dark Defiles by Richard Morgan
Brian McClellan (1st and 2nd book when released)
Lev Grossman, The Magician's Land
Hieroglyph by Neal Stephenson
Brandon Sanderson - Shadows of Self (Mistborn, #5)
Brandon Sanderson - Firefight (Reckoners, #2)
Brandon Sanderson - Words of Radiance: The Stormlight Archive
Others to purchase if released (in paperback)- Patrick Rothfuss, The Doors of Stone (Kingkiller Chronicle #3)
- George R.R. Martin, The Winds of Winter (ASoIaF #6)
- Peter V. Brett, The Skull Throne (Demon Cycle #4)
- The Cobbler of Ridingham - Jeffrey E. Barlough
- K.J. Parker
- Scott Sigler
- Scott Lynch, The Thorn of Emberlain (Gentlemen Bastards #4)
Debating
- Shaman
- Jim Butcher ?
Hardbooks only and handful will be bought and from black library I will stop buying audiobooks (ebooks never bought and will never buy) and hardback special editions will also be cutted down to the minimium. Only if a book really interest me I will buy it... but for €50 a piece is too much... Well...
BOOKS TO BUY NEXT YEAR
This year will be rough. I will try to buy at most 60 books.
JANUARY
Wolf of Sigmar (Time of Legends) by C. L. Werner
Paul Kearney, A Different Kingdom - January 28
Promise of Blood - Brian Mc Clellan
MARCH
Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters by Christian Dunn (11 Mar 2014)
Stormcaller (Space Wolves) by Chris Wraight (18 Mar 2014)
Path of the Archon (Dark Eldar Path) by Andy Chambers (25 Mar 2014)
Last God Standing by Michael Boatman
Scars (Horus Heresy) by Chris Wraight (6 May 2014)
APRIL
The Talon of Horus by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Apr 2014)
Gotrek & Felix: The Serpent Queen by Josh Reynolds (8 Apr 2014)
Michael J. Sullivan, The Hollow World - April 8 (Just finished)
MAY
Emperor of Thorns - Mark Lawrence
Commissar (Imperial Guard) by Andy Hoare (20 May 2014)
The Greater Good (Ciaphas Cain) by Sandy Mitchell (8 May 2014)
Salamanders: Rebirth by Nick Kyme (22 May 2014)
Orion: The Council of Beasts by Darius Hinks (22 May 2014)
The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell (22 May 2014)
JULY
Guy Gavriel Kay - River of Stars
The Seal of the Worm - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Assail (Malazan Empire 6)
Half a King - Joe Abercrombie
Fiefdom: A Kingdom Novel
The Warmaster (Gaunt's Ghosts) by Dan Abnett (Jul 2014) (If it's paperback)
Master of Sanctity (Legacy of Caliban) by Gav Thorpe (8 Jul 2014)
AUGUST
Sons of Russ by Chris Wraight, Nick Kyme and Andy Smillie (5 Aug 2014)
The Doom of Dragonback (Time of Legends) by Gav Thorpe (19 Aug 2014)
SEPTEMBER
Vengeful Spirit (Horus Heresy) by Graham McNeill (2 Sep 2014)
Ahriman: Sorcerer by John French (9 Sep 2014)
Fall of Light: The Second Book in the Kharkanas Trilogy
OCTOBER
The Republic of Thieves (Gollancz) by Scott Lynch (9 Oct 2014)
The Last Dark (Gollancz S.F.) by Stephen Donaldson (1 Oct 2014)
DECEMBER
Willfull Child (working title) Steven Erikson
Black Library novels:
If it's paperback I will buy it... but besides that I am going to cut down.
When in paperback
Mentats of Dune - Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Working God's Mischief - Glen Cook
Cyador's Heirs by L. E., Jr. Modesitt
The Unholy Consult - R. Scott Bakker
Raising Steam
Monster Hunter Nemesis
The Dark Defiles by Richard Morgan
Brian McClellan (1st and 2nd book when released)
Lev Grossman, The Magician's Land
Hieroglyph by Neal Stephenson
Brandon Sanderson - Shadows of Self (Mistborn, #5)
Brandon Sanderson - Firefight (Reckoners, #2)
Brandon Sanderson - Words of Radiance: The Stormlight Archive
Others to purchase if released (in paperback)- Patrick Rothfuss, The Doors of Stone (Kingkiller Chronicle #3)
- George R.R. Martin, The Winds of Winter (ASoIaF #6)
- Peter V. Brett, The Skull Throne (Demon Cycle #4)
- The Cobbler of Ridingham - Jeffrey E. Barlough
- K.J. Parker
- Scott Sigler
- Scott Lynch, The Thorn of Emberlain (Gentlemen Bastards #4)
Debating
- Shaman
- Jim Butcher ?
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
TV Series Review: Doctor Who - Fifth Season
The fifth series of these awesome series. There is no change in the same plot likeness... As most of Doctor Who stories every there Doctor appears from nowhere, the inhabitants or whatever treat them with scepticism or even worse (being capture comes to mind. At least three stories in this series they were captured) then the Doctor do/say something truly awesome that makes everyone treat him as a leader or something like that.
Enemies:
Cybermen - 2 Stories
Yeti - 2 Stories
Ice Warriors - 1 Story
037 The Tomb of the Cybermen (Missing Episodes 1, 3 - 6 (of 6 total)
This tale sets the return of the Cybermen. This time to to a planet where a group of archaeological group want to find the cyberman. The leaders of the expedition want to find them to control them but something goes wrong. You can't imprision them and things go awry. I really like it even if Victoria had a small part as most of the other stories she is in.
038 The Abominable Snowmen (Complete)
A nice Doctor Who story. One of the first with Victoria Waterfield but as all other previous female characters she is under used. She is considered by all as a helpless girl even if she think she is not. The men take part of the investigation and the conclusion of the mystery. Victoria as almost no part on it besides being a puppet. Kind of spoilers ahead. I like the idea of Yeti and the Himalayas but unfortunally there wasn't a single drop of snow. What a dissapointing. I also enjoy the idea behind the yeti being machines controled by The Great Intelligence.
039 The Ice Warriors (Missing Episodes 2 & 3 (of 6 total)
This tale follows earth on the future where an ice age is advancing and a bunch of scientists are the last hope for earth. It was nice to see those alien vikings that want to conquer earth. Here Victoria and Jamie had a significant part on the plot but... they are only sidekick of the Doctor.
040 The Enemy of the World (Missing Episodes 1, 2, 4 - 6 (of 6 total)
I really enjoy this one. Both novel and television episode were done in a good syle. Even if the tv series was better. Why? Because in the novel we don't get anything else besides what's on the tv. That's a shame. When you serialize you expect something more. But alas, that did not happenend. So, Dr Who has a double and that double is a evil genius. That was interesting. You've come to see Dr Who with an charismatic personality that has power to be the master of the world. A person with unlimited timelife with the possibility to change the past can make things happenend his own way. I enjoy that this tale is set on Australia and then Hungary. You've got a more important part from Jamie and Victoria than previous novels. It's a nice addition and thank the fans for recovering this recording after 20 or 30 years.
041 The Web of Fear (Missing Episodes 2 to 6 (of 6 total)
This is the first tale which marks the return of the Yeti, the Great Intelligence, and Professor Edward Travers — is the sequel to The Abominable Snowmen. Again the companions are just that. No impact on the tale...
042 Fury from the Deep (Missing All 6 Episodes)
This tale happens on a oil plataform as an entity made of foam and plants are trying to capture the humans. A good tale, again slow as all the others before and Jamie has no impact on the tale. If he wasn't there I don' know if I would miss him. This tale is about Victoria. Victoria is sick of being always afraid. She is not as adventurous as Jamie or the Doctor. She debates in leaving... I And maybe this is a turning point on Jamie character as he becomes quite sad as he travels in the Tardis and she stays behind. He is quite a lighthearted person. Maybe this is a turning point into characterization. I think he loves her... " Where would you like to go Jamie?" - " Couldn't care less...
043 The Wheel in Space (Missing Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5 (of 6 total)
This tale sets the return of Doctor Who to space. They arrive at a ship of huge dimensions that is travelling through space drifting. Cyberman is our evil doers and this is also the first tale with the new companion Zoe Heriot, the Librarian. I really enjoy Zoe. She has an eidetic memory. A child wonder. This story Jamie has a more important role (more in the second episode).
"It's pure logic" Zoe
"Logic, my dear zoe, mere enables one to be wrong with authority." Doctor
Enemies:
Cybermen - 2 Stories
Yeti - 2 Stories
Ice Warriors - 1 Story
037 The Tomb of the Cybermen (Missing Episodes 1, 3 - 6 (of 6 total)
This tale sets the return of the Cybermen. This time to to a planet where a group of archaeological group want to find the cyberman. The leaders of the expedition want to find them to control them but something goes wrong. You can't imprision them and things go awry. I really like it even if Victoria had a small part as most of the other stories she is in.
038 The Abominable Snowmen (Complete)
A nice Doctor Who story. One of the first with Victoria Waterfield but as all other previous female characters she is under used. She is considered by all as a helpless girl even if she think she is not. The men take part of the investigation and the conclusion of the mystery. Victoria as almost no part on it besides being a puppet. Kind of spoilers ahead. I like the idea of Yeti and the Himalayas but unfortunally there wasn't a single drop of snow. What a dissapointing. I also enjoy the idea behind the yeti being machines controled by The Great Intelligence.
039 The Ice Warriors (Missing Episodes 2 & 3 (of 6 total)
This tale follows earth on the future where an ice age is advancing and a bunch of scientists are the last hope for earth. It was nice to see those alien vikings that want to conquer earth. Here Victoria and Jamie had a significant part on the plot but... they are only sidekick of the Doctor.
040 The Enemy of the World (Missing Episodes 1, 2, 4 - 6 (of 6 total)
I really enjoy this one. Both novel and television episode were done in a good syle. Even if the tv series was better. Why? Because in the novel we don't get anything else besides what's on the tv. That's a shame. When you serialize you expect something more. But alas, that did not happenend. So, Dr Who has a double and that double is a evil genius. That was interesting. You've come to see Dr Who with an charismatic personality that has power to be the master of the world. A person with unlimited timelife with the possibility to change the past can make things happenend his own way. I enjoy that this tale is set on Australia and then Hungary. You've got a more important part from Jamie and Victoria than previous novels. It's a nice addition and thank the fans for recovering this recording after 20 or 30 years.
041 The Web of Fear (Missing Episodes 2 to 6 (of 6 total)
This is the first tale which marks the return of the Yeti, the Great Intelligence, and Professor Edward Travers — is the sequel to The Abominable Snowmen. Again the companions are just that. No impact on the tale...
042 Fury from the Deep (Missing All 6 Episodes)
This tale happens on a oil plataform as an entity made of foam and plants are trying to capture the humans. A good tale, again slow as all the others before and Jamie has no impact on the tale. If he wasn't there I don' know if I would miss him. This tale is about Victoria. Victoria is sick of being always afraid. She is not as adventurous as Jamie or the Doctor. She debates in leaving... I And maybe this is a turning point on Jamie character as he becomes quite sad as he travels in the Tardis and she stays behind. He is quite a lighthearted person. Maybe this is a turning point into characterization. I think he loves her... " Where would you like to go Jamie?" - " Couldn't care less...
043 The Wheel in Space (Missing Episodes 1, 2, 4 & 5 (of 6 total)
This tale sets the return of Doctor Who to space. They arrive at a ship of huge dimensions that is travelling through space drifting. Cyberman is our evil doers and this is also the first tale with the new companion Zoe Heriot, the Librarian. I really enjoy Zoe. She has an eidetic memory. A child wonder. This story Jamie has a more important role (more in the second episode).
"It's pure logic" Zoe
"Logic, my dear zoe, mere enables one to be wrong with authority." Doctor
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